Nightmares Always Lie
by blue-eyed-cow
Summary: Noodle has a nightmare, and is in desperate need for some comfort from 2D. Too bad the singer's not the best with words... especially when it's 3am and he's on a heavy dose of painkillers. Only 2D/Noodle if you want to look at it that way. One-Shot


**A/N: Welcome to** _**Nightmares Always Lie**_. **I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous; this is my first Gorillaz fanfic and I really don't know how I did. I tried my absolute best to keep all the characters IC, and to get all my facts right. My deepest apologies if this doesn't really live up to your expectations; it's a first attempt. **

** This story isn't really meant to be 2D/Noodle, but feel free to interpret it that way if you'd like. **

**It's in 2D's POV, by the way, and takes place during phase two.**

** Please enjoy!**

** Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.**

It's sort of funny, what painkillers can do to your head.

Of course, it's also a bit ironic. They're supposed to make your head feel all better, with no more pain. But instead of making the pain go away, they sort of just mask it up. They fill your head with fuzziness and strange thoughts, and make your whole body feel heavy and numb. In reality, it really doesn't fix your head pain at all. Or, if it does, it just causes a new problem. So it's almost like the pain can never go away, because even if you try and try and try, there's always a new kind that can take over. Like a never-ending circle of hurt.

But I hardly notice the circle anymore. I've been taking these things since I was eleven. I'm used to it. I'm used to the drug-induced sleep that I drift into every night, head numbed with painkillers, weird dreams ready to squeeze their way through the cracks of my walled-in subconscious and into my messed up head. I hardly notice myself popping open the bottle, swallowing a few down, and drifting off into darkness anymore. Nope, it's all just a norm for me now.

That is, unless someone breaks the cycle. That's really the only time I notice the pain that still exists.

Take tonight, for example.

I was having this really bizarre dream that this giant zombie whale was swimming in this ocean of blood, and I was suspended in air above the sea of red, unable to move. The only thing I could do was watch as the giant beast jumped out of the water over and over, trying with all its might to gobble me down. Part of me felt like laughing, but the other part felt like screaming.

Then there was an interruption. A noise from the outside. I guess my subconscious recognized it as an intruder, so it kicked me out of dream-mode, therefore out of sleep-mode, therefore waking me up. Or something.

My eyes shot open, exposing the black, lifeless-looking eyes for the world to see. Instantly, a heavy, sleepy, dizzy feeling rushed me, and I grasped my head in agony as a wave of nausea almost overtook me. Exactly how many painkillers had I taken last night? Enough to cause a whole new type of pain, apparently.

The familiar noise once again sounded, forcing me out of my little "situation". It was the same noise that had woken me up. A knock on my door. I probably should have been wondering who the hell was at my door at this hour, but my head was so hazy that all I did was make a noise that sounded something like, "Wassacom'n?"

The door slowly creaked open, and in shuffled the silhouette of a small girl. Unless Murdoc was keeping a secret, there was only one girl living in Kong Studios. Noodle.

I think somewhere in the back of my fogged-over brain, I must have realized that whatever was happening must be pretty darn important, because Noodle hardly ever came into any of our rooms, especially at night when everyone was sleeping. It just wasn't like her. She was the first one to bed and the first one up. She never really needed anything from us. She wasn't annoying or needy. She was just… Noodle. Add that to the fact that her room was on the top floor, and mine was in the basement, and it just didn't make much sense.

But now, as I sat up in bed and my eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness, I could see that something was wrong. The fourteen year-old's face looked red and blotchy, her lip trembled, and the strangest thing yet: she was actually being _timid._ She stood at in the doorway awkwardly, clutching onto the door and peeking shyly at me from behind her thick bangs. At least, that's what it looked like to me at the time. I still wasn't really sure what was real and what wasn't. My vision was even more blurred than usual, and my head still spun.

"Noodle? Tha' you?" I slurred, rubbing my dented eyes sleepily. _Wake up, Stu, wake up!_

"Yes, 2D-san, it is me," she practically whispered. Now I knew for a fact that there was something wrong; her voice was shaking.

I tried my best to force drowsiness and dizziness out of my head. _Something's wrong with Noodle. I need to focus._ But my head was still foggy. I brought a hand warily up to my forehead, long fingers brushing through my blue locks to get to my head. I winced. Stupid "never ending circle of hurt".

Noodle must have noticed, because then she said, in an uncharacteristically soft voice, "I am sorry, 2D, I have woken you and now your head is hurting you. I will leave now-"

Well, of course, that caused a sort of jolt inside of me, and luckily that managed to clear away some of the fog. "No, Noodle, don' leave. 'M fine. Wot's wrong?"

She stopped midway through shutting the door to leave, covered eyes glued to the floor. "I…I had a nightmare."

Now, if anyone today had told me that in the middle of the night Noodle would wake me, of all people, up because she had a bad dream, I would have told them they lost their marbles. _All _of their marbles. But, given the current circumstances, I really didn't feel too surprised at all. Really more confused than surprised. I didn't quite know what to do next, being as drugged up as I was, so I just sort of sat there, one hand still massaging my temples. Well, I probably would have just sat there, not knowing what to do, even if I was as awake as I've ever been. But that's not the point.

Noodle was now fidgeting with the hem of her T-shirt, shifting from foot to foot, and still keeping her eyes glued to the floor. I didn't know what she was waiting to hear, but I thought I ought to say something. Finally, I just settled on a dumb-sounding "Oh."

"D-do you think I could…" she sniffled and wiped her eyes on her arm, "maybe, sleep with you?"

Ok, there was the surprise. I had been wondering where the hell it had been all this time. Now it hit me like a shit-load of… some heavy object. Noodle? Sleep with me?

A little more fog cleared. _Calm down, you sick bastard. She's fourteen. You're twenty-six. That's not what she meant. She just needs to be with someone right now._

"Yeah, er, sure," I said. Not knowing what else to do, I moved over slightly in my small bed, preparing myself. "Watch your step," I added, catching sight of all the crap that littered the floor.

So Noodle timidly made her way across my room, avoiding the many things scattered on the floor. Her hidden eyes never looked up. She reached the bed, and awkwardly sat on the end, lip still trembling slightly. I hoped I made enough room for her.

Another wave of nausea swept over me, and I flinched, hands falling to my stomach and eyes shut tight.

When I opened them again, Noodle was still sitting on the edge of my bed, although now she looked startled. "2D, you are not ok. I will leave. I am sorry for bothering you."

"No, Noodle, 's ok! 'S fine! C'mon, wanna lie down?" I tried to make my voice sound as welcoming as possible.

She looked unsure, but nodded anyways and slowly lowered herself into the bed, pulling the covers up over herself. She didn't say anything; just sort of stared at the ceiling. I was finally getting somewhat comfortable again, and even thought about getting back to sleep, when a noise escaped from Noodle. I glanced over at her. A tear was running down the side of her face.

I surprised even myself with what I did next. I guess my brain was all like, _'ok, you're being dumb. Time for _me_ to take over!'_ And I thought of what my parents would do whenever I had a nightmare and climbed into their bed. They would put their arms around me protectively, and tell me it was ok, and that it was just a dream. Noodle didn't have parents. She didn't have anyone to do that for her.

Autopilot: _On._

My arms slowly wrapped around her thin body, one over her and one under, as I pulled her into a sort of awkward hug. I heard her take a quick, short intake of breath, but then release it slightly as she turned onto her side to face me, making the hug slightly less awkward. Actually, the whole situation wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. It wasn't for some sick reason or something. No, it wasn't like that. Maybe it was because my head was still muddled, or maybe it was because it felt sort of nice to comfort someone like this. It rarely got to happen here; everyone was so independent and confident. Well, either way, it almost felt natural.

"'S ok, Luv. It wos only a dream. Nofink else," I said softly, starting to stroke her chopped black hair. My brain was still on autopilot; my hands acting on instinct.

I guess hearing words like _that_ come from someone like _me _must have been the cause for what happened next. I don't really know. It was all pretty confusing at the time. But next thing I know, Noodle was sobbing into my shirt, clutching onto my arms that were still embracing her. Her whole body shook. I had never seen anything so sad.

I hugged her slightly closer, and still she cried. My brain finally beginning to function somewhat properly, I thought it might be better not to say anything else. I dunno, I just had this feeling or something. Like a motherly instinct, only… not quite like that at all. So we just sort of lay there for God knows how long. Finally, Noodle's sobs were reduced to occasional hiccups, and her shaking reduced to occasional shivers. And for a while we lay still, even after she had calmed down.

She broke the silence long after she had stopped shaking. "2D?"

"Mhm?" I mumbled back.

"You… you would never, ever leave me, right? You would never send me away?"

I would have been more caught off guard by the question under normal circumstances, but this night was proving to be far from normal. Instead I tried to keep unwanted feelings out of my voice as I responded, "'Course not, Noods. I'd never leave yah."

"W-what about Murdoc? Or Russel? Would they send me away?"

I repositioned myself, (causing another sudden wave of pain), so I could see into her eyes better. Through her bangs, her green eyes were wet and sad-looking. I tried to find the reason for the question hidden on her face, but there was nothing else there. "They wouldn', either. Why'd yah ask tha'?"

She sniffled, huddling still closer. I tightened my hold.

When she didn't answer, I tried again. "Wot's makin' yah think tha', Noods? Wos it somfink from your dream?"

I slowly felt her nod, head still buried in my shirt, (thank God I had been too wiped to take my clothes off before I went to bed). Then she said something muffled that I couldn't pick up. You couldn't blame me, really; I was still dizzy and dazed. My senses were dulled, my mind desperate to rest.

"Sorry, Luv, I di'n't quite catch that. Waddya say?"

She turned her head to the side slightly so she could speak, then said, almost too soft to hear, "You three… you sent me away. You s-said I was not good enough anymore, so you… you found the package I came in… and you… sent me back…" Her voice once again started trembling as she recalled her nightmare.

I felt terrible. _We sent her back? How could we be so mean?_ I know it wasn't the real us, it was only dream us, but still. Poor Noodle. Was that really what a nightmare was for her? It had nothing to do with monsters or murderers; it had to do with her friends deserting her. It had to do with her being unwanted.

I wished I could voice all the guilty thoughts that ran through my head at that instant, and I wished I could tell her that the dream wasn't accurate at all. But, thanks to my messed up head, lack of sleep, and now just nervousness in general, I found myself asking, "But… why'd yah come to me? Isn't Russel the one who normally-?"

Noodle mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Wossat?"

"Because… in the dream… it was your idea to send me away in the FedEx box… it was your idea, 2D-san…" Her body once again shuddered, and she started to cry again.

_It had been my idea to send her away? Not Murdoc's? _I felt even guiltier now.

Noodle needed to know that dream me and real me were two different people.

"Noodle," I made my voice firm, removing one arm from around her and using it to tilt her chin up, forcing her to face me, "listen to me. I would _never_ send yah away. None o' us would. You're the bes' guitarist this bleedin' world 'as to offer. We'd all miss yah. Gorillaz wouldn't be Gorillaz 'out you. We… we all love yah, Noods."

My words had the opposite effect of what I hope they'd have. Instead of feeling better, Noodle cried harder. She wrapped her arms around me now, returning the hug. I held her tighter, disappointed that what I said didn't help.

But I was wrong. I never understood girls very much to begin with, but apparently those words were all she needed to hear. And she later told me that upon hearing what I had to say, all doubts of our friendship were erased.

She sniffled and said, "Do you really mean it?"

I smiled, though her chin was now resting on my shoulder and she couldn't see my face. "'Course I do."

She was silent for a while longer; arms still wound around my middle, lying on her side with her face once again buried in my shirt. I would have liked to keep saying comforting things to her to make her feel better, but my mind kept drifting. I even found myself in that phase between being asleep and awake on more than one occasion. _Hang in there, Stu. Noodle still needs you._

I don't really know how long we lay there for. My clock broke a long time ago. In fact, I don't remember a time when it wasn't broken. I just sort of determined the time by sounds; Noodle usually got up at around seven, Murdoc could be heard swearing around ten, and Russel's heavy footsteps could be heard above me, going from his room to the kitchen, at eleven. But now, I had no idea of the time, or how much had passed.

We were both still lying there with our arms wrapped around each other when Noodle removed her face from my shirt and instead brought her mouth very close to my ear.

"Thank you, 2D," she whispered, lips brushing the side of my head. Her voice sounded sleepy, but not shaky or sad. Thank God.

"No prob'm, Noods…" I mumbled back. And I finally allowed my head to get what it had been begging for this entire time: some well-deserved rest.

We both fell asleep, surrounded by each other's arms, happy and reassured.

Of course, the next morning had to be the one morning when Murdoc came into my room looking for the car keys he always seemed to lose, and of course Noodle and I "sleeping together" really gave off the wrong impression. And, of course, I got the beating of a lifetime from Murdoc and a good talking to from Russel.

But that's another story for another time.

**A/N: Eh, not my best ending ever, but not too shabby. Please tell me what you thought! Helpful criticism is fine, as long as it's not along the lines of "This sucks." Besides those kinds, I absolutely love getting reviews; it makes me very happy to know what the readers think =)**

**I don't currently have any more ideas for Gorillaz fics… I'm open to suggestions, if anyone's interested. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**~blue-eyed-cow**


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